Hidden Sides
by umbreonblue
Summary: Futaba Taiga follows Hoshitani around out of boredom. He gets caught, then joins Hoshitani in the rest of their day off. They become fast friends. However, Taiga discovers the hidden sides of his mysterious kohai. Or... how Hoshitani surprises the Ancients in more ways than one.


It was just a normal day off for Hoshitani Yuuta. Only… it wasn't.

See, due to mysterious circumstances, Futaba Taiga was following *cough* stalking *cough* him. Just to see how his mysterious kohai spends his day off. … OK. He was just bored, and spotted Yuta-kun. With nothing else to do, he decided to follow him around a bit. Which turned into a lot.

First, it was to fast food shop. He got a burger, fries, and a soda. Then, after wandering around a bit, he noticed that Yuta-kun was a bit lonely since no one seemed to notice him. It was like he was invisible. When they got to the rooftop park, which was empty for some reason, was when Taiga realized that he'd been tricked.

He tries to hide behind a tree, but Hoshitani just shakes his head at him. Sighing, Hoshitani says, "Why have you been following me, _**Futaba-san**_?"

Sighing as well, Taiga knew the jig was up, and came out from behind the tree, hands up in surrender, "I can explain."

Hoshitani smiles as he glares, "Explain then."

Futaba explains, "I bored, then I saw you, so I decided to follow you. I find you mysterious so, I just wanted to see what you do on your days off. I'm sorry!"

Hoshitani thinks for a minute, noting that Futaba's apology is sincere. "If you wanted to join me, you could've just asked."

Futaba only blinks before saying, "Really?"

Hoshitani nods. Futaba, excited, asks, "Can I join you for the rest of the day then?" To that, Hoshitani smiles as he nods, "Sure."

They both sit down on one of the benches, and basically gossip.

"I've been meaning to ask but… why aren't you with Saotome-san and Uozumi-san today?" Hoshitani asks.

Futaba smiles sheepishly, "Well~… Uozumi only cleans on his days off, and Ricchan's having a spa day today, so I'm free but bored. What about you? Why aren't you with anyone today?"

Hoshitani hums, "Just wanted a change of pace. Besides, Tengenji has kabuki, Tsukigami's training, Kuga still has a part-time job, and Nayuki's with his sisters today."

He gestures Futaba closer, "Between you and me, it's nice to have time for myself."

Futaba cheers, "I get it! I totally get it!" Hoshitani smiles back.

"But… today, on the street, no one noticed you. What's with that? It's like you're invisible, or something!" Futaba yells.

Hoshitani laughs sheepishly, "Invisible huh…"

Futaba nods, "Yeah! Isn't that a bit lonely?"

Hoshitani softly smiles, a forlorn look in his eyes, "It's OK though. I'm used to being alone."

Futaba had no idea what to say to that, so he changed the subject. "Still…how'd you know I was following you?"

Hoshitani's smile brightens up, "Well…when you passed by on a corner and hid behind a post, you didn't notice the mirror, did you?"

Futaba pales. Hoshitani chuckles, "I saw you in the mirror, so I decided to trap you up here with me."

Futaba face palms, "Jeez!" Hoshitani only laughs at him.

Taiga says, "Ne…you can call me Taiga or Fu-chan if you want."

Hoshitani blinks, "Is that really OK?" Taiga nods, "Yeah! We're friends now, aren't we?"

Hoshitani beams at him, "Yeah! Then, call me Yuta or," he blushes slightly, "…Yu-chan."

Taiga smiles, "OK, Yu-chan!" Yuuta retaliates with, "OK, Fu-chan!" They both laugh.

Taiga asks, looking up at the cloudy sky, "Ne, Yu-chan, do you come to this park often?"

Yuuta answers, "Not recently. I used to come here a lot to play though. I have lots of friends."

Taiga nods, "Me too, me too!" Then he thinks, 'If he has friends, then why'd he say he was used to being alone?'

Taiga asks, "Where are they now?"

Yuuta shrugs, "They've moved on with their lives, Fu-chan. Following their own dreams, I guess."

Taiga lowers his head, "Haa…is that so?" 'So they all left…'

Taiga asks, "Ne…if I were to follow you without you knowing again, how would you react?"

Yuuta only smiles, "I would like to hear an explanation first before deciding whether to punch you or not."

Taiga asks nervously, "And if I did something, like, kiss you or grab your behind, you would…"

"Punch you or start crying," is Yu-chan's firm response.

"Ah…. OK," Fu-chan says with a sweat-drop, 'He'd punch me?'

Suddenly, a ladybug lands next to him, "Ah~!" he yells as he jumps to his feet. Hoshitani blinks, then sighs, "You're scared of bugs?" he picks up the ladybug in his hand.

Taiga sniffs, "Yes…" Hoshitani, after getting a good five feet away from Taiga, releases the ladybug. It flew away to a nearby bush. Futaba sighs in relief, then yells, "No one else can know about this!"

Hoshitani shakes his head at him, "I know how you feel. I'm scared of all animals _except_ insects."

Futaba blinks, then sheepishly laughs, "Is that so… well, that did make me feel better. Thanks." Hoshitani nods.

Fu-chan asks, "Ne, where to next?"

Yu-chan smiles, "I know a good coffee shop."

* * *

When at the coffee shop, the moment they walked in, they see the Otori.

"Ah…" both sides say.

Otori recovers first, "Uh…do you want to sit with me?"

Hoshitani blushes slightly and nods, Futaba following behind. After sitting down, there was an awkward silence.

"Um…why are you two together today?" Otori asks. The other two respond, "It just happened."

Met with silence again, Futaba breaks the ice, "Um… what're you doing here alone, Princess Otori?"

Hoshitani wonders, tilting his head, 'Princess Otori? He's more like a Prince to me.'

Otori smiles, "Taking a break from dog walking."

Hoshitani gulps, "Uh…dog walking?"

Otori nods, "Yeah. I walk a dog for an elderly couple. You want to see him?"

Hoshitani was about to respond when a big sheep dog ran in from the back. Startled, Hoshitani yells, "Wah!" as he clings to the closest object or person. This being Otori.

Fortunately, the dog was on a leash, and got pulled back. Otori commanded the dog to sit and stay, and it obeyed him.

With that dealt with, Otori looks at his trembling kohai. Those sparkling green eyes looking so scared. Looking softly at him, Otori pets his kohai on the head, completely forgetting Futaba was in the room too. "It's OK. You're safe now. I'm sorry he scared you," Otori softly says to his kohai, who slowly lets go.

Hoshitani looks at him, still trembling a bit but blushing, "It's…OK. It's not your fault."

Otori smiles, "We're good then?" Hoshitani smiles back, "Yeah…"

Futaba coughs, getting their attention. "Uh, Otori….while this has been exciting, it's best that I get Yuta-kun here back safely. So, if you don't mind~…"

Otori nods, "Of course. Have a good day."

Futaba nods, dragging Yuta by the arm out of there.

Once out, they both sigh. Yuta was still blushing a bit though.

Futaba looks at Yuta-kun and asks, "Is there somewhere else you want to go?"

Yuta snaps out of it, then says, "Y-yeah. I know a place."

As they walk, Futaba was looking at the back of his still slightly blushing kohai. 'Wah~! I never expected this. Yuta-kun being the Princess for Prince Otori. I definitely need to get them together! But first…' He looks at his kohai, 'It's best to calm him down for now.'

* * *

Once at their destination, the bar Kuga works at, which Futaba is surprised by, they see Nanjo and Kuga.

"Ah, Kuga!" Hoshitani cheers, getting his attention. Futaba sits beside Yu-chan on his left, Nanjo to his right.

Kuga sighs, "Why are you here?"

Hoshitani pouts, "Can't I visit you at work?"

Kuga smirks, "Fine. What can I get you?"

Hoshitani cheerfully ask for water while Futaba asks for some light beer. When Kuga's getting their orders, Hoshitani talks to Nanjo as he folds a napkin into a swan.

"Why are you here then?" Hoshitani asks. Nanjo smiles, "I'm bored since Ren is too busy messing with Toraishi today. I was thinking about taking the train on my next day off, but I don't know where."

Hoshitani responds to that cheerfully and loudly, "You should go to the edge of the city then! I recommend," he then tells him which train line to take.

This surprises Nanjo, "You know your trains…"

Hoshitani nods, the origami swan already finished as he moves onto doing a rabbit next, "Un! I like traveling by train. You get to see and meet all sorts of people."

Nanjo agrees, and they talk a bit more until Kuga gets back. During this, Futaba could only watch in fascination as Yuta-kun makes origami out of napkins as he talks with Nanjo. 'He's more observant then I thought…and good at origami.'

When Kuga gets back with their drinks, Futaba could only drink until his cup was empty as he'd had a long day. By the time Yuuta's done drinking his water, Futaba says, "It's getting late. We should head back."

Hoshitani only nods in agreement before saying "See you tomorrow" to Kuga and Nanjo, Futaba saying, "The beer was good. I might have to bring Uozumi and Saotome here sometime."

Kuga nods, "Just don't cause a ruckus." Futaba only smiles at him, only slightly tipsy as he and Yuta-kun head out.

* * *

As they walk, it was already starting to get dark out, the stars starting to appear.

"Ne…you really surprise me," Futaba says as he wraps an arm around Hoshitani's shoulder.

"Eh? How so?" Hoshitani asks.

"You showed me many sides of you today. Some I didn't even know about. And… you like Otori, don't you?" Futaba asks, already knowing the answer.

Hoshitani blushes, "Un… Just don't tell him. I plan on telling him myself."

Futaba nods, "Sure, OK!"

Hoshitani decides that not good enough, "Promise?"

Futaba nods, "Promise!"

Then it's time for them to part for the evening, "Well, I'll see you tomorrow, Yu-chan!"

Hoshitani smiles, "See you tomorrow, Fu-chan!"

And they walk away back to where they belong.

In the dorm, Hoshitani gets to bed early after dinner, planning for an early start tomorrow.

* * *

As for Futaba…

Uozumi and Saotome ask where he's been today. Futaba only responds with, "Nothing really~."

As the night progresses, with food and alcohol, Futaba gets drunk enough to spill what he did today.

"I hung out with Yuta-kun today! He surprises me again and again!" Futaba says, his face red.

The he says, "He's really observant, more than I thought! Tougher than I thought too…He even threatened to punch me! Good at origami too~! Oh! He likes traveling by train, is scared of all animals except insects, which you know scare me! And… he's lonely… so lonely… but! I'm happy for him!"

Saotome asks as he sips his wine, "Taiga, why are you happy for him?"

Futaba drinks another glass before saying, "He likes Princess Otori! And Princess Otori likes Yuta-kun too! We've got to get them together!"

Uozumi and Saotome were shocked by this, Uozumi especially. He felt like he just lost Otori again. 'But, it's probably for the best…if they like each other, and they're happy… that's all that matters.' Unfortunately for Uozumi, he said this out loud instead of in his head, which causes Futaba to cheer, "Thanks for understanding, Sumi!"

Uozumi could only drink another beer, and then another.

By the end of the night, both Uozumi and Futaba were drunk and passed out, Saotome shaking his head at them, putting a blanket over them.

"Such idiots…" he sighs, "But, they're _**my**_ idiots," before he goes to bed as well.

* * *

The next morning, the Ancients are up surprising early, especially after getting so drunk. They all get ready for the day, and get going, passing by the outdoor stage.

It was then that they see Hoshitani Yuuta dancing on it, white wings and feathers flying. They were memorized by it. Then, Hoshitani notices them.

Blinking, then shaking his head as he smiles, he goes over to them. "Good morning," he greets.

Futaba smiles nervously, "Uh…good morning."

Saotome had to ask, "What was that dance-routine? I've never seen anything like it."

Hoshitani just smiles, "That's just it. It's not mine, it's Otori-senpai's. I saw it once during the Ayanagi Festival, on the day he left his Star Team."

Uozumi, a bit shocked, asks, "How long have you practiced that?"

Hoshitani still smiles like he knows something they don't, "About three years now."

'T-three years?!' the Ancients all thought.

Hoshitani smiles cheerfully at them, "Well, I have to get to class," he walks off.

Futaba asks, "Who else knows about you and Otori?"

Hoshitani pauses before saying, "Team Otori, Hiragi-senpai, and Otori-senpai himself. And I suggest you keep this to yourselves as well. No one else has to know," he says as he walks off into the distance, disappearing from view.

All the Ancients were shocked, still processing this. After, they just sigh, deciding to keep this to themselves. They still hope that those two get together though.

* * *

Omake:

After school, Hoshitani and Futaba had a little talk.

"How much did you tell them?" Hoshitani asks, crossing his arms.

Futaba stutters, "A-all of it. I'm sorry! But, when I get drunk, I get stupidly drunk!"

Hoshitani sighs, "It's OK…as long as they can keep this a secret."

Futaba nods, "No need to worry about that."

Hoshitani nods, "Good. Now then… want to go to an amusement park sometime, Fu-chan?"

Futaba smiles, "Sure, Yu-chan!"

The last part of the conversation, the last two sentences especially, were heard by Saotome and Uozumi, who wonder, 'When did they become friends?'

* * *

Omake 2:

Uozumi was starting to become paranoid. Futaba and Hoshitani were being secretive, whispering to each other about something and giggling. Every movie he's seen points to giggling + secrets = trouble. Sighing, he decides to brace himself for the inevitable whatever it is those two are planning.

Later, Futaba and Hoshitani appear before him, both smiling and happy. Then, Futaba shows him the tickets, "We're going to an amusement park!"

"It'll be fun!" Hoshitani cheerfully says.

"Ne?" they both ask, tilting their heads to the side, both sparkling.

Uozumi promptly rejects, ripping his ticket, one out of four, in half before walking away.

This discourages the two, but they go for Plan B after taping the ticket back together. The decide to invite Otori, who accepts. Along with Saotome, they go to the amusement park together, having a lot of fun while Uozumi sulks after hearing that Otori took his place.


End file.
